


The Game

by BENKA79



Category: Original Work
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Romance, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-05-15 16:31:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19299508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BENKA79/pseuds/BENKA79
Summary: Nick Turner is a cop from NY City. He met a weird fortune teller and lost his body in the same night. Now he needs to find a Mexican boy and a teenager from Japan to find five rock to getting back his body... But the thing isn't that simple. They had been chosen to play a very dangerous game and save the planet.





	1. Be careful when you bet

**Author's Note:**

> Hello my friends, I'm here to share with you a very beloved old original work of mine. I hope you enjoy it.

To sleep. Unparalleled pleasure with which humanity counts its delight. To sleep, rest ... indulge in the warmth of soft sheets and the comfort, surrendering to this delicious act of dreaming like a child feeling secure in her mother's lap ... yes, sleep is exquisite ... that's why we hate when that wonderful world of no worries disappears brusquely, mercilessly, every time the damn alarm clock reminds us that ... we must go to work, or in this case ... WE ARE ARRIVING LATE TO WORK!

“CRAAAP !!! I OVERSLEPT!!!” Nick jumped out of his bed in despair, the sheets flew around the room, while he was fighting a pair of jeans that didn’t wouldn't to adjust at the speed he wanted, “DAMN! DEMON JEANS! OBEY ME DAMNIT!”   
He abruptly grabbed a toast with one hand as it ejected from the toaster and swiped his socks left lying on the chair the night before. “THIS TOAST IS BURNT ARGH MPF,” he said while gobbling with lightning speed. “SHOES! I WANT SHOES! WHERE ARE THE DAMNED SHOES !?” His question was quickly answered, as he tripped over them and fell on the ground. “CRAP!" He shouted in frustration. But he didn’t waste time, he put on his shoes, and standing again, he ran to the bathroom to shave while putting on his shirt, “THIS IS NOT HAPPENING! They're going to fire me.”   
As soon as he had sprayed himself with deodorant, buttoned his shirt, and threw his jacket on as he ran out the door, and took his skateboard, “They're going to KILL MEEEEE!!” he cried, and in one jump, he hopped on himself on his skateboard and left to his job.  
He ran into the police station, almost colliding with his good friend and companion, Michael, “Nick! Do you know what time is it?", the guy snapped at him, but Nick's eyes were like a deer's caught in headlights.

"Did anyone notice ?" Nick asked, looking everywhere.

“Of course someone noticed! We should've left on patrol half an hour ago!" said Mike. He was somewhat angry, which was strange given he was a normally calm and kind young man.

“I fell asleep…” Nick whispered to his friend.

“Don't give me excuses, mate ... go to the boss's office …”

“What?” asked Nick, his face turning paper white when he heard the word office … plus boss … 

Mike looked worried about his friend's luck, “He calls you." he said.  
"No ... they're going to suspend me ..." Nick murmured, covering his face.  
With heavy steps he walked towards that horrible office, and entered like condemned to the electric chair, “Sir …” he said quietly, “Forgive me, it’s just, I …”  
"Turner ..." the boss's voice sounded sad. Nick noticed it, he opened his eyes wide when he saw the face of his distressed superior.   
“Is it that bad? I've been late just one day..." the young officer said raising an eyebrow. 

“Listen to me son …” the Chief continued talking 

“Son?” thought Nick

“I have to suspend you ... much to my regret …” the boss said to Nick.

“But, sir! It's the first time in my whole career that I'm late! I don't think it's fair…!” 

“I'm not suspending you for that ... son.”

Now Nick was a complete loss. 

“We found narcotics in your locker …” the Chief said.

“What!!? THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!! I DO NOT HAVE ANY...!” exclaimed the young Nick's face was red with fury ... what was all this? Drugs in his locker? Did they believe that he was an addict?  
"Son, calm down ... look ... I know about a place that can help you ..." his boss took a card from his desk drawer and gave it to him with anguish, placing a hand on his shoulder, he looked him in the eye as a father would and he said, “You must have a lot of problems, but drugs are not the solution ... this is a good place ... call them. And when you recover you'll come back to work.”

A second before entering the locker room to collect his things, he murmured under his breath, “That's it..." Nick murmured under his breath, reached the lockers to look for his things but a second before entering the locker room.

He listened as his companions spoke. “We did good Turner,” one said.

“Yeah! Now with that background it’ll be more than difficult to climb the ladder." Another one laughed.

“Turner was the boss's favorite, he was going to surpass us in hierarchy, the drug plant worked well.”

Nick pounced on one of them like a beast and cornered him against one of the lockers, the rest watching and scared, “It was you! Why…!?” he shouted at them.

"TURNER!" There was a loud voice behind him, when he saw the officer in the doorway, Nick released the young man he had been cornering. He was the head of his unit. “You shouldn't be here.” Said the superior.

"Drugs are making him violent, sergeant ..." the officer Nick had cornered said in a mocking voice. That was when Turner looked at him with fury, and without saying anything, he took his things, and left.

Nick left the place in astonishment. He met his friend Mike, and when he saw that he was still in civilian clothes and carrying his backpack, he asked, “Where are you going?”

"To buy some crack." Nick answered with a killer's face. Mike was frozen, and couldn't say a word. He saw Nick wrinkle a card fiercely, throwing it in the trash, grumble in an incomprehensible language, and watched him leave the New York police station.  
.................................................  
Nick had drink too much, and now he was sitting at the bar, from which he could no longer remember the name. Suddenly he felt like a heavy hand was leaning on his shoulder, and a voice somewhat incomprehensible by alcohol, said, “Heysh.. ... that's my seat …”

"Come on ... I've been sitting here for three hours, don’t give me those ..." the boy snapped at the big guy. 

But the man seemed insistent, he began to shake him from one side to the other, by saying, "You took my seat!"

“Don't bother me, I didn’t have good day, I'm warning you …” Nick murmured, without looking up from his glass.

"You get out of my seat!" The guy thundered. 

Then Turner pounded the table exclaiming, “You got it!” And getting up he punched him ... He punched a guy who was almost two meters ...

Nick was lying on the ground of an alley, God knows how many hours had passed ... his whole body hurts, he moaned, “Who could guess, that this guy was a black belt? Damn my luck.” He tried to stand up with superhuman effort, but everything was spinning. Looking up saw a kind of store, something quite rare, with colored lights at the entrance, and a sign that said, "CHANGE YOUR LUCK"  
Nick blinked ... that sign was too tempting ... and he definitely wanted to change his luck, so he staggered to the door, setting aside an annoying red velvet curtain, entered, and saw how all the interior was covered by that same red curtain velvet. In the center of that strange place, full of cushions and crystals that looked like fish tanks, there was a small and round table, the tablecloth was red too, and reached to the floor. There was a weird man sitting by the chair near the table, he had a broad smile, he was wearing glasses, and a red baton ... it was a very strange place.

“Come in.” Nick said the suspicious guy.

"Wait... how do you know my name?" The young man asked him, approaching stealthily. 

The guy didn’t stop smiling, “Well, I'm a fortune-teller, I know everything.”

“Everything?”

“You are right.”

“Ok…” said Nick suspiciously, “Give me proof.”

“I know you came here to change your luck.” The strange guy said.

“That’s not proof …”

“Because you’ve been suspended from work because your envious companions placed drugs in your locker, your boss gave you a card from a self-help group for drug addicts, and today you fell asleep and arrived late at the police station,” finished the man.

Nick looked at him with round eyes, and just sat at the table, “And how do you think that I can change my luck ... do you ...?”

“My name is Olaf, and I will change your luck with a poker game.” He said shuffling a mallet that appeared in his hands. Nick shook his head. 

That was getting bizarro. “What did you say?" he asked, maybe the alcohol in his blood kept him from hearing well.  
“Yes. You and I will play poker. And we’ll bet. If you win, I'll change your luck, all your problems will be solved," said the smiling man as he handed out the cards. 

But Nick only cared about one thing, “And ... What if I lose? What should I give you?”

“Oh ... you'll know ... tomorrow morning,” said the man.

Nick blinked again. But then he smiled triumphantly, “Anyway ... I think you're in trouble, Olaf ... poker is my strong suit.”

“Oh ... we'll see about that …” And they started playing.  
...............................................................................  
“I LOST! HOW HOW DID THIS HAPPENED !? I AM THE KING OF POKER !!” Nick yelled, holding his head with both hands, watching the game he had just lost, staring at the table. And Olaf didn't stop smiling. As soon as he finished screaming, he remembered how bruised his body was, by a strong pain that forced him to embrace himself.  
"Take care of that body, boy ..." Olaf said.

“What did I lose? What do I give you?" Nick murmured, rising to his feet.

“Oh ... don't worry ... you'll know tomorrow morning.”

“Aren’t you going to tell me? Is it money?”

“Nope.”

“So… Tomorrow you say …”

“Yep.”

Nick looked at him suspiciously, Olaf felt the pressure and began to laugh nervously.

“Well ... tomorrow ... I'm leaving then ... damn ... how will I get to my apartment.” 

But the moment he left that place he found the door of his apartment in front of him, “How ...?” He strained a few seconds, then opened the door, without giving much importance to the situation he said, “What the hell! I'm drunk.” And without further ado, he entered his apartment.  
..........................................................  
To sleep. Unparalleled pleasure with which humanity counts for its delight. Sleeping, resting ... surrender by the warmth of soft sheets and the comfort of surrendering to the delicious act of dreaming like a child is feeling secure on his mother's lap ... yes, sleep is exquisite ... that's why we hate when... that wonderful world full of carelessness disappears brusquely, mercilessly, every time the damn phone rings, and we let the answering machine listen and we discovered that it's the voice of your girlfriend ... reproaching you for having forgotten...  
“Oh crap!! I FORGOT THE DINNER WITH MARIANNE!” shouted Nick.

"You're inconsiderate ... you're going to have to do more than usual for me to forgive you. I HATE YOU NICHOLAS TURNER!" was heard the second the girl hung up the receiver down. 

Nick sat down in despair on the bed, “I'm an idiot ... how could I forget it?” That's when it happened, when he uncovered he noticed it... he had lost something. “Wait a minute ... where are my legs?” he ran desperately to the bathroom ... and saw he had no body. 

“MY BODY! MY BODY! WHERE THE HELL IS MY BODY ...!” His mind went blank for a few seconds, then remembered what that fortune-teller had said him last night.

"Tomorrow morning you will know."

“NO ... IT CAN'T BE …” he said… and he knew it now, “I HAVE LOST MY BODY IN A POKER GAME!”


	2. Neither dead, not alive. Without body.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick find Olaf, and he has his body. To get it back, he needs to find five pieces from a rock. He meets Diego, a Mexican boy who can speak with ghosts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my friends! This is another chapter from my beloved original work! I hope you enjoy the introduction of Diego, a Mexican kid, very grumpy, with some interesting mystical powers...

“This is not happening ... this is not happening, it must be a dream that's it, just a fucking dream, maybe if I pinch myself or ... if I wake up spontaneously or … AAAAAAHHH !!!!” Nick's mind was no longer scheming, he was desperately trying to find an answer to all of this. The only thing that came again and again to his head was the unchanging smile on the face of that happy soothsayer, "OLD DEMON!" he shouted. Suddenly, the light came on. “I KNOW, I'll go to that alley again, I'll find him, I'll hit him and I'll burn his damn tent!! That's it!” And again the darkness, “But ... how am I supposed to do that? IF I DON'T HAVE MY BODY!” 

At that moment a key was heard in the door, it opened, revealing a girl with short blonde hair, very pretty, but on her face was fury.  
“Marianne?” Nick murmured. “MARIANNE! Sweetie!" he screamed. But she wasn’t listening, and of course, she couldn’t see him either.  
"Damn Nick ... you're gone ... and I was coming to fix things." The girl said, shaking the messy sheets of her boyfriend's bed.

“But I'm right here, Marianne! I'M HERE!”

"This is not gonna stay like this, Nick Turner ..." the girl muttered.

“She can't see me or… hear me ..." Nick understood. “Wait a minute ... I must take advantage of the situation ..." At last his mind began to work, he knew he had to get out of that place, now that his girlfriend had left the door open. “I'll fix things with her later ... I must find that fortuneteller with Elton John face…”

Nick walked desperately, returning again to that bar where he’d had the little mishap with that giant man ... when he reached the alley he found a bitter surprise ...  
“What?? NO!! THE CRAZY OLD TENT DISAPPEARED! HOW CAN THIS BE POSSIBLE!?”

In fact, there wasn’t even a trace left. He had to stop and think for a few seconds, which was more than difficult, since his mind was a mess of shock and scandal, “I'll go for help ... maybe my friend Mike can help me ... what if he can't listen to me like Marianne? I'll be dead and it’ll be the end …” Suddenly he felt fear, “And if I'm really dead?” He didn’t want to investigate anymore ... he knew that this was a possibility ... but he wanted to discard it, “I’m not in the mood to be dead. I'll go find Mike.” And with that, he left for the police station.

Mike was at his desk, he knew that his friend was very naive, sometimes very cranky, but he wouldn’t able to use drugs and stuff. Nick really had him very worried.  
"As soon as I get out of here, I'll go see him ..." he said to himself.

“See who? me? I'M RIGHT HERE! NEXT TO YOU !!!” Nick shouted, but it was useless ... Mike didn’t see him, “Hey, buddy, listen ... it will sound strange ... but ... this morning I got up without a body.” Nick tried to speak again, but he knew it was useless to keep talking to him ... 

Mike wasn't listening to him, He soon saw how he was taking his cup of coffee, and before drinking it, his face changed, a mixture of irritation and displeasure. “COME ON GUYS! WHO DID SPIT ON MY COFFEE !? IT'S NOT FUNNY!" Mike shouted, looking at everyone as if they were suspects.  
.......................................................  
Nick had lost all hope, he now wandered like a lost soul in a park. “My girlfriend hates me, my friend can’t help me ... I'm lost …” he rested and let himself fall to the grass. “What the hell ... Am I dead? Am I alive? I don’t understand ..." he murmured. 

Suddenly a familiar and annoying voice sounded behind him, “Not dead or alive, you just have no body.” 

He sat down and got a better look at the guy from the night before. He wore a tunic embroidered, and his face had a peculiar resemblance to that English singer.

“OLAF! DAMN YOU! WHERE IS MY BODY ?! IF I HAD HANDS RIGHT NOW I'D BE STRANGLING YOU!" he couldn’t explain to himself the relief and hatred he felt when he found that guy, who also kept smiling.

“Yeah, Nick ... don’t be like this…calm down”, said the man in the tunic.

But Nick wanted to hold him by the neck, “Calm down? You want me to calm down??! YOU ARE GOING TO RETURN MY BODY RIGHT NOW!”  
“Now ... come with me …” the guy had a wax face, how could he be so calm? Nick really wanted to kill him, but he took a deep breath, he had to obey him ... something told him that everything was even more complicated than the catastrophy he awakened to this morning. So he set out to follow him.  
...................................................  
They reached the tent, which was now by the lake. Nick didn’t care about this. He just wanted one thing: HIS BODY BACK.

“You've already realized that I'm not any fortune-teller …”, said Olaf, once they were inside the tent. This time it looked particularly spacious and technological.

“Who are you ? Or rather ... What are you?” Nick asked. 

Olaf smiled even more. “I belong to a large family of ... sorcerers …”

"A family of body stealers?" Nick was irritated enough having to listen to this guy. 

Olaf laughed, “Of course not! Also, I did not steal your body. I won it cleanly in a card game.” 

Now Nick was really pissed off. “YOU FORGOT TO MENTION THE SMALL DETAIL THAT I WAS BETTING MY BODY!” his scream was so loud, that Olaf's hair tousled. 

Olaf was now sweating a little, took out his handkerchief, wiped his forehead, and said, “Calm, Nick ... you will recover your body.”

“Tell me how and when,” the young one asked.

“Soon.”

“I'm sure that you're going to ask me something,” Nick said suspiciously.

"That's right." Answered the weird man.

Nick suspected from the time the old man had begun explaining who he was, he should listen, he had his body after all.  
“What should I do?” he asked.  
Then Olaf opened a drawer of a strange black desk, bright, and displayed a kind of parchment, where there could be seen a star-shaped rock, and around it its five unarmed parts, indicated by an arrow each. Below was something written, in a language Nick didn't know. The letters resembled Hebrew, but he was sure it was not Hebrew. "What is that?" He asked at last. 

Olaf spoke, “This is a rock that belonged to my family. Very important. One hundred years ago it disappeared.”

“How?”

“How what?”

"How did this thing disappear?" Nick asked again, losing his temper.

Olaf opened his eyes wider, for a moment he looked nervous, as if he didn’t know what to answer, the next moment he began to laugh nervously. Nick had seen those reactions before, like when he was questioning the criminals, and they were lying to him.

“Well …” Olaf took some time to think about it, “What ... She threw it in the trash, a maid ... unintentionally ... one day ... one day she was cleaning the mansion, THAT'S it! That's how it happened ..." Olaf coughed. Nick didn’t believe him, but he let him keep talking. He really was a very weird guy. "The thing is ..." the sorcerer continued, "that rock concentrates the powers of my family. It is divided into five parts, and each part is lost on 5 different continents …”

“Wait, wait, wait …” Nick stopped him, that was already a disaster of story “How that rock, or its five parts, ended up scattered around the planet? Did the maid throw it away?" 

Olaf opened his eyes again, and his nervous laugh resounded, “Yes, you ask too many questions! Like all good police!" his laughter wouldn’t stop.

"Are you going to tell me or are you going to keep laughing?" asked Nick.

Olaf coughed, and wiped the sweat from his forehead again and answered, “Well ... it's Ahmmm ... the rock ... the rock disarms itself when it is not in contact with my family, and as a self defense mechanism, it divides itself into five parts and spreads itself ... throughout the five continents ... THAT'S IT!” 

Nick knew that was a ridiculous excuse and maybe it wasn't true ... but it didn't matter if it was true or not ... the only thing that matter what he had to do to fix this. “You haven't told me yet what I must do to recover my body.”

Olaf looked at him seriously, “Find the five pieces and give them to me.”

“,Oh …”, then his anger touched the limit. “HOW DO YOU THINK THAT I'M GOING TO DO THAT!? I’M NOT INDIANA JONES!! HE HAD HIS BODY!!”

Now Olaf's hair was ruffled to the other side. “Boy ... you don't have patience …”

“You’re right, I don't.”

“Listen ... you’ll not be alone in this journey. You’ll go with two people who will help you.”

“Aham ... two people who are not going to see me or hear me, like the rest of the world ... of course.” Nick said ironically.

“No, these two people are special. A Mexican boy, called Diego, who can talk to spirits, and a young Japanese woman who can also hear you and who also has the compass to find the 5 pieces.” 

Nick distrusted that guy, not because he wore skirts, but because ... what he was saying didn't seem to make sense.

“How come that girl has the compass of your rocks?” the young one asked.

“Well…” answered Olaf, he swallowed hard with difficulty, “Well ... our families knew each other.”

“Did they, ah?” asked Nick frowning, not convinced at all.

“Yes. His father’s great-grandfather was the great-great-grandfather of my mother's great-grandfather. Now, all that had lost the train of thoughts.” said Olaf closing his eyes.

“Look, I don’t care about any of that. Not even if you're lying to me, or if you're crazy." Nick snapped at him. Olaf began to laugh loudly. "Just show me where you have my body, and we'll close the deal, and I'll go with these two guys to find your damn rocks."

Then Olaf looked at him, satisfied. He walked to the end of the room where there was a curtain, pulled it opened, and left to see the naked body of Nick, suspended in a strange liquid.

“MY BODY! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE !? WHY DO YOU HAVE IT THERE AS IF IT WERE AN EXPERIMENT ?! AND WHAT THE HELL IS ALL THAT LIQUID !?”

“Calm down, boy. You find my rocks, and I'll return your body. Deal?" 

Nick sighed loudly. He couldn’t refuse. "Deal. Done." Suddenly a question assailed his mind, "But ... these guys live far away, and your rocks are also all over the world ... how is it that we are going to be able to ...?" He hadn't finished expressing his doubt, when Olaf gave two waves with his hands, and the next second was in a path. On the other side of the street a group of children dressed in dirty, patched clothes, opened the doors of taxis, and received coins from those people who went down and entered a luxurious hotel.

“I’ll take care of the travel. And you'll take care of the rest," said Olaf 

Nick was amazed by the sight. "Is it one of those children?" he asked. Somewhat touched, Olaf nodded and he pointed in silence to a boy with brown, tangled hair, and deep black eyes. He had a dark complexion of pleasant features. Nick took a deep breath as he watched the boys as he counted the few coins given to him by the man exiting the taxi.

“Go.” ordered Olaf.

“But I don’t know his language …”

“He'll understand you. Go.” after this Olaf disappeared without a trace. Nick crossed the street, in a moment was next to the boy, who strikingly didn’t play with the rest.

"Boy, are you Diego?" Nick asked. 

Diego got angry, looked at one of the boys playing behind his back, and snapped at him with fury, “Are you make fun of me? Of course I am Diego!” 

The boy he had shouted at looked at him strangely, “I HAVEN’T SAID ANYTHING!”  
Diego's face worried, turned his head towards the street, and his eyes looked desperately for an explanation.

"Are you talking to ghosts again?" The boy asked, mocking him now. The rest of the jokes didn't stop.  
“I'm sure that's it! Diego talks to the dead people! Buuu.”  
“Diego is the best friend of the ghosts Hahahaaaaaaaaa!!” Instantly everyone started a song in unison, making fun of him. But Diego didn’t care, he was interested in knowing who had spoken.

“Ok, good. Diego, listen. I need you to help me." Nick spoke again.

Then the boy took a deep breath, horrified and covering his ears, he ran away, “I DON’T WANT THIS MORE ANYMORE !!” The rest of the boys looked at him and they were coming undone with laughter.  
Diego reached an alley, he leaned, agitated, against the wall. “I'm tired …” he said.

“Me too, you made me run like a marathon runner,” observed Nick, his voice also agitated. 

Then Diego ran away again with horrified eyes. “LEAVE ME ALOOOONE!” he shouted. 

Nick took a deep breath and followed him at a trot. "If he always talks to ghosts, why is he making such a fuss now ...?" He murmured angrily to himself.  
..................................  
This time Diego stopped in a new alley, and he sat down, exhausted by the bullfights. “I'm in trouble …” he said now.  
“Ha! You, in trouble !? And what about me? Or do you think it's funny to have no body? "Nick spoke again.

Diego went back to running again, this time shouting, “I DON’T WANT TO SPEAK WITH YOU ANYMORE! YOU'RE DEAD !!!”

-”DAMN IT, KID! I'M NOT DEAD!"

Diego heard this, and immediately stopped, turned curiously to where he felt the speaker was speaking. "Aren’t you?" He asked, more calm.

“No.”

“So?”

“I lost my body.”

“How is that possible? How did you lose your body? People do not lose their bodies from nothing.”

“Well, I did. I lost it playing and betting on poker with an old stranger." Diego began to laugh. This bothered Nick a lot.

“What an idiot! You bet your body! HAHAHA”

“Don’t laugh. It's not funny.”

“So you're not dead. No wonder it felt weird.”

"What thing?" The boy had grown serious.

“It’s nothing. And tell me ... what do you need me for?”

“I need you to help me to find some rocks …” Then Nick told the story, just as Olaf had told him. 

When finishing it, Diego had more doubts than certainties, “I don’t understand ... it doesn’t make sense. That story that the old man told you ... I don’t find any sense in that.”

“Me neither. But what's the difference? I have to obey him, he has my body.”

"And how much will you pay me?" 

Nick could not believe it. At such a young age and that boy was extorting him, “Pay?”

“Yes. Do you think I'm going to work so much for an old madman without a payment?" That made sense. 

Nick snorted, "How much do you want?" He asked.

“How much do you have?”

“Yes, you're a scammer. I will give you 500 American dollars.”

“800.”

“Dwarf…”

“900 for calling me a dwarf.”

“It's okay! It's okay! 900. Are you going to help me or what?"

Diego grinned widely. “Done. Deal. Where is that ...?" At that moment Olaf appeared behind Diego and with a loud voice, making Diego jump so much that he almost fell to the ground, “Good evening!!” 

The boy grabbed his chest as if he were suffering a heart attack. "Who are you?" He managed to formulate. 

Olaf pleasantly smiled, “I'm Olaf. Are you ready to go to Japan?”

“Ja ... Japan? “ Diego asked, still catching his breath at the shock. Olaf nodded smiling, and clapping his hands, within seconds, they were no longer there.


	3. Chapter 3: Kaori, the dreamy girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diego and Nick arrived to Japan to find Kaori, a noisy and dreamy girl that would accept the adventure right away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my friends! I hope you are enjoying this story so far, now is Kaori's time to appear, she is very annoying, but she's sweet too. I hope you fell for her. Thanks for reading!

"It's the sunset on the beach, the perfect moment for romance, where two souls give each other infinity to never separate ... the faint lights draw the figures of two beautiful young people, who look deeply into each other's eyes ... love each other ... yes! They love each other…  
“Senpai Mizuno …” said the girl, enraptured with her lover. 

He takes her by the shoulders, and speaks to her in whispers, “How can it be that now I realize the immense love I feel for you, Kaori-chan?"

“Sen ... pai …” then the young man approaches her, slowly looking with anxiety at the lips of the girl, who is about to receive the first kiss she so longed for from the boy of her dreams. Half a second before their lips touch ... "

“TAKANOSHI-SAN !!! Wake up!” The girl jumped on her own desk, her arms spread fiercely and threw everything that was on it. And then she looked around. Everyone laughed.  
"Another dream ..." she murmured to herself, watching the unhappy face of her language teacher. "I'm sorry, Professor Thompson!" She apologized at once, just as the buzzer sounded, warning that it was the end of her day. 

While she was gathering her things, a thin, thin girl approached her. "You were dreaming about Mizuno senpai?" She asked cheerfully. 

Kaori looked at her mischievously, “What do you think?” and placing the backpack on his shoulder said, “Someday I will declare my love! And It will be reciprocated!”

"Mmmmmmmmm," her friend hesitated. "You have some courage, Kaori ..." 

Kaori laughed loudly, but pausing at the door, she turned on her heel to look back at her friend, “And today ... there is practice in the gym!!” she ended up saying with excitement on the shoulders of her friend, and without more she ran out.

“We've arrived.” Olaf announced, appearing to him and Diego as if by magic.   
The boy almost falls dizzy and green as he looked. It made Nick worry, "Are you okay boy?" the voice asked. 

As soon as Diego had heard the word "boy" his eyes got angry and the green color disappeared from his face, changing to a furious red, “Who are you calling ‘kid’? Old grump ..." he murmured then crossing his arms. 

The voice exploded, “Who are you calling old and grumpy?” 

Olaf began to laugh nervously, “Okeedokey ... hehehehee …” and pointed at a school that was in front of them.

"What?" Nick wanted to know.

“You’ll find the girl there, her name is Kaori.” Olaf smiled, they both turned towards the building, watching how hundreds of young people came out out almost like bulls from the fights, laughing, joking, they all dressed the same ... they were more than hundreds, thousands ...  
"And how is it ..." Nick wanted to know, but Olaf had already disappeared, "DAMN OLD CREEPY DEMON! HE DIDN'T TELL US WHAT THAT GIRL LOOKS LIKE! CRAP!”

But Diego was already crossing the street towards the building. 

"Hey! Wait!” 

When he’d been with the boy, he saw how his face was serious, and his eyes were looking from one side to the to the other. “Sh …” the boy said quietly, “I'm reading auras …”

“You are what ...?” 

Suddenly there was a loud scream that said … “¡¡¡SENPAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII !!!!!”

“It's the girl that is screaming.” Diego stated, getting going.

“What I wanted the most ... a screaming girl in the team …” Nick whispered under his breath.

They arrived at the gym window, where the school basketball team trained. Observing the stands, was a distinguished, beautiful girl with brown hair, long and straight, with nice big eyes. She waved both arms, and blushing, she wildly shouted the name of his beloved.

“She’s beautiful.” Diego observed, “But very noisy…”

“We have to see how to talk with her ... we better wait until she is alone.” As soon as he finished saying this, he heard again the young woman's crying, “Yes, she has strong lungs …”

“Yes, she does…” said Diego crossing his arms and sitting down in the lawn.

Kaori said goodbye to her friend, and crossed the street. She walked and sang  
a little tune under her breath, behind her were Diego and Nick, with stealth. They didn’t want to scare her. 

"How will we talk?" Diego asked almost whispering. 

Nick sighed, “You talk to her.” he said.

“And why does it has to be me? You speak to her.”

“Ah ... yes ... of course ...your plan is very smart ... I'll speak to her, she will believe that I’m a spirit, she’ll run away and there we will have a new problem …”

“Ok, ok ... I'll speak ... what do I say?” aaked Diego

“Everything”

“Aham… she'll think that I’m crazy.”

“I know ... if she doesn't believe you, then I'll talk with her.”

“The plan is a disaster,” said Diego.

“I know ... but there’s no other way.” explained Nick.

“Are you going to pay her too? I don’t think your salary is too high.”

“I can't believe what I'm hearing here ... at your young age …”

“I'm thirteen years old,” The kid snorted.

“And you know how to negotiate already ... come on. Go. Won't to go talk to her?” asked Nick.

Diego stepped up, “Ok, but I want to settle here that I think this plan is a disaster,” he said, raising a finger.

When he had been almost next to the girl, he called her, “Ehm ... Kaori, isn't?” 

The girl stopped in her steps and turned to see the person who called her. She blinked in surprise to see a foreign child, something was off kilter about it. “Yes, it's me ... what do you want?” 

Then Diego took a deep breath, and indicated a bench for them to sit down …

.............................................................

After hearing the story, Kaori remained unchanged, squeezing her backpack against her chest.

“And well ... do you have the talisman or not?” asked Diego, but she didn't answer. “Nick, I think she died, or is in a coma, I don’t know ... is time for you to talk.” 

Then there was a clearing of a throat, Nick attempted to soften and sweeten his voice as much as possible as possible. “Look, girl ... What Diego has told you is true ... I’m the man he's talking about ... and ... as you could see ... we need that talisman ... are you going to help us?" The girl bent her head until she hid it in her backpack. Diego slowly approached her. Then he began watching her movements, to see if she were maybe crying. 

Nick was worried, “Hey, kid …” he called to her, but she suddenly got up with her face lit up, laughing, her eyes shone terribly. Diego almost fell from fright by the unexpected response of that teenager.

“Yessss! FINALLY AN ADVENTURE!" And turning her face away, she embraced her backpack and continued speaking in a manner dropping with teenage romanticism. “If I go on this adventure with you I will become a real woman ... so attractive that senpai Mizuno will not resist my charms ..." and turning to the other side, raised one of her hands to the sky, “and he’ll love me forever! Because he’ll never find a woman on this Earth more beautiful, brave, and as adventurous as me! ¡¡AAAAAhahahaaa!!!!” her screams were such that Diego had to cover his ears. “That's why I don't mind having to help a dirty child and an old ghost voice.” She said, looking very serious, watching the horizon and putting on her backpack.

“I'm not old!”

“I am not dirty!”

“This is my opportunity to conquer the heart of my senpa,.” the girl ended clenching her fists, and nodding with determination, "GO!" she ordered, standing up.  
"She wasn’t listening to us ..." Diego observed.

“Yeah ... at least she didn’t run …”  
...................................................... ..  
They arrived at the girl's house, to which she had hummed all the way, very happy indeed.  
“You stay here, I'll go for some things and the talisman,” she stated, picking up her little song again, when entering the house. 

Diego stared at the door ... put a hand on his head and asked thoughtfully, “Hey ... do you think it's useful?”

“I don't believe anything anymore. I just want my body." 

Diego made a gesture of disapproval of that comment, and instantly snapped, “Oh ... but how selfish you are ... “

“Shut up ... you're no a Mother Theresa neither …” Diego responded with a growl. At the same moment Kaori appeared, she was already armed with an entire bag and something which resembled a necklace on her hand.

“All right! Here's the talisman!" she announced, triumphantly lifting the necklace up in the air. 

Diego closed the distance between them and observed it with curiosity from various angles. Finally he said, “Ahm ... ehm ... well …”

“What? What's wrong?" Kaori asked.

Then Nick's voice was heard, “Well ... that's like a very ordinary thing …”

“Yes ... yes ... very ordinary …” Diego said.

Kaori didn’t think the comments were correct, so she rolled her eyes in annoyance, and curling the talisman closer to her heart, as if protecting it from what she felt were insults, she exclaimed, “Hey! Show more respect for my family's talisman!”

"It's not your family's ... it's from an old man with a face like Elthon John." Diego said, placing his hands behind his head.

Nick was getting impatient. “Yeah, whatever …” he huffed. Kaori remained thoughtful, observing the talisman, until at last she said, “But ... this talisman has been in my family for generations ..., I do not understand how …”  
Diego looked at her out of the corner of his eye.  
“Rare …” commented the boy. 

Nick was still impatient. “It doesn't matters. It suits me to believe that old man.”

Suddenly taking everyone by surprise, Olaf appeared in the middle of an explosion behind them.

"Hello!" he exclaimed with his hand held high. Diego almost suffered a heart attack, and Kaori could not help but jump and scream as if a ghost had appeared.  
“This guy is going to kill me …” the Mexican boy murmured, grabbing his chest.  
Olaf approached the girl with her usual smile, but she continued looking at him with suspicion.  
“I see, you have already the girl and the talisman,” the wizard observed. Then he clapped his hands as if to cheer and announced, “Very good! Now let's go to Italy!” 

Everyone jumped, Kaori began to scream with emotion. Daniel looked at her with despair, immediately covering his ears ... how could something so small make such a noise?

“But before …” Olaf said again, making his face serious, just for a second, “I'll give substance to your soul Nick," the man finished, addressing the young policeman, who was not understanding a single word.

"How is that?" he asked. 

Diego snorted, besides coping with a shrill girl, he had to deal with an ignorant old man. “Please …” said the boy at last, “It means that you will be able to kick some ass.”

Olaf laughed nervously, “Oh, well ... I wouldn't necessarily say that, but …” he managed to reply, “That will help you find the rocks faster and more easily …” 

Nick's voice was heard again, this time with a lacking confidence, “Seems like you're far more anxious to get that stone than giving me my body back, or am I wrong?” Olaf burst into laughter again, his face shone with discomfort. Then, trying to divert everyone's attention to another matter, he walked to Kaori and said, “Well, Kaori, activate your talisman by hitting it three times with the nail of your index finger.”

The girl nodded and then did what the sorcerer had asked. As soon as she finished doing it, the necklace began to shine. When the glow had dissipated, what appeared to be a radar was seen reflected in the rock in the center of the talisman. 

Kaori took it now with both hands so as to interpret what was happening. “I don't understand …” she concluded. Then all saw how the hand which held it rose through the air as if it had been pulled by some strange force. Kaori flinched at such an unexpected outburst from within herself.  
“Let me see it,” Nick asked all of the sudden. Everyone then understood the puppeteer of the move was the only invisible person among them.

"Don't be so abrupt!" Diego yelled. But Nick seemed to be very focused on the talisman to answer.

“It's towards the northwest …” he heard himself say,” and if this is the map of the West ... this penninsula here must be Italy ... I have it! It's in southern Italy!" he finally concluded.

A large smile spread across Olaf's face as he clapped his hands enthusiastically, “Very good! Then let's go to Italy! " And without further ado, they disappeared from that place in the blink of an eye.


	4. From Italy to Sahara desert

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team is getting the rocks very quick. Italy with an unexpected danger and Sahara desert with a beautiful location.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my dears! This chapters I used it for present to you the characters and how they interact between them.  
> I hope you can enjoy this!

To Nick, everything was becoming more than suspicious … appearing and disappearing, and again traveling in a snap ... again that guy was smoking ... after having left them in a true natural paradise ... he’d never been in Italy ... but he supposed he was now in it.  
“I can’t believe this! Is this Italy? It's beautiful! I'm in Italy! In Italy! Look at me! I'm in Italy! Italy!" The thunderous shouts resounded in the middle of the landscape. Kaori was amazed at all it. And she kept jumping from one side to the other, admiring the place.

Diego leaned with difficulty against the trunk of a tree ... his face turned a greenish hue, and he struggled finding equilibrium between his neck and the rest of his body. 

"That old man is going to kill me ..." he said, trying to grab the back of his neck. "No ... it's really this place that has me turned around ..." he sobbed.

“Try to compose yourself ... we must find that rock with the radar,” Nick ordered. 

The girl, who still hadn't really taken a good look around, continued making jumps and leaps like in the ballet. 

Diego watched her with a tired face, “Yes. If we manage to make the radar stand still," he said at last.

“What would my senpai say if he sees me now? Oh! Surely he would invite me out on a date!” The screams were making all the fauna of the place decide decide on an exodus. Suddenly Kaori felt that something was taking her talisman and lifting it into the air.  
“Let's see at this thing, shut up and stay still. I want to see something," he demanded. 

Kaori jumped, but instantly realized how brutally he had treated her. “How dare you to do this without permission?! You scared me, I almost died! You can't treat a lady like that!”  
There were sincere laughs...

“You aren't a lady” was the contemptuous comment that followed. Diego had to stifle his laughter. Kaori was infuriated.

"How dare you say that?" youSyouhe asked in two beats ... his jaw seemed to tighten with anger.  
"Here it is ... it's north. Come on!" Nick exclaimed, with conviction.

“Hey ... who said you're the leader?” The kid snapped, walking with reluctance.

“I'm the adult on this journey,” Nick replied.  
“O, we’re saved.” Diego commented with irony. 

Nick snorted with annoyance and answered, “Shut up and walk.”

Behind them walked a very offended Kaori, her teeth gnashing with fury ... and her face was flushed ..."How dare this ghost treat me like that?" She murmured under her breath, yearning for timely revenge.  
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::  
They arrived at the site where they were supposed to find the stone ... but instead they found a ravine.

“Great, adult leader. And now what will we do?" observed Diego crossing his arms.

“The rock is supposed to be down there in that cave …” Nick said. The site looked very steep …

"How will we get down there?" Kaori asked. A silence took possession of the moment ... suddenly they found a tree that was only a few steps away, cut a piece of bark with aerodynamic shape.

“Let's go down with this,” Nick said ... moving the crust, which was quite thick, from one side to the other.

“What did you just say? with that? You wouldn't...?" Stuttered the child, it was difficult for him to swallow his own saliva when imagining the intentions of the adult in charge.

“I'll use it as a skateboard, I'll take you both, and we'll go down without any problems. You'll see! I'm an expert!" Nick exclaimed proudly. Diego and Kaori's eyes widened.

"He said the same thing to that old man and now he has no body ..." the boy murmured, pale as snow.

"Come on ... don't be afraid!" Nick assured him.

Kaori was already resigned, Diego was petrified in his place. The piece of bark settled on the edge of the ravine, and the voice asked them to come closer. As soon as Kaori noticed that Diego's body didn’t move of its own accord, it took him by the arms and practically dragged him, in the midst of whining, to Nick.  
“Get on my legs, and hold me tight,” Nick prompted, he didn't have to explain anymore, the second was a tearful Diego hugging those invisible legs as if they were his last connection to life, “Well ... now …” said the young policeman, “Can you feel my back?" he asked, the girl touched the air, until she found his back.

“Yes,” she announced.

“Well, hang yourself and take my neck, without hanging me, or we'll be fried …”

“Don’t hang him! Don't hang him! Please! I'm too young to die!" Diego whined. 

Kaori snorted. She didn’t like to see cowardly men ... or cowardly children … she knew, a cowardly child was a future cowardly man ... at least that was how she saw him. She managed to climb on Nick's back, wrapped his arms around the boy's neck, and instantly felt that ... they were a fairly well-exercised back and shoulders. "What muscles,” she realized, but quickly evaded that train of thought as it was making her face turn red.

"Are you ready?" Nick asked.

“Yes.” Kaori replied.

"No!" Diego yelled.

"Well, there we go!" exclaimed Nicholas at last, jumping into the ravine.

He moved with true dexterity, dodging every obstacle, and screaming like a teenager. Kaori was enjoying it too, and accompanied with shouts of enthusiasm. Diego also accompanied with shouts ... but of fright. They were already close to the target, but an immense rock got in their way.

“Oh-oh!” Nick observed, “Be prepared, Diego, you're going to fly …” he said taking the child and throwing him into the air in the direction of a bush.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh! Crazy maaaaan!!!" Diego's scream was heard.

“I'm sorry but I need my legs,” the young man exclaimed, taking Kaori with his arms, whom he was able to restrain elegantly, “Are you okay? “  
“Ye-yes …” said Kaori, somewhat disturbed to feel that a man was carrying her in his arms.  
"No!" Diego shouted from the bush ... Surely he would never forget that.  
The site was surrounded by rocky walls, a few meters away was a dark cave. Many shrubs and rocks adorned the place.

The three travelers approached stealthily towards the target, but Nick stopped them, “Wait a minute ... there's a bear sleeping inside.” He observed, the two young people peeked cautiously through the entrance of the cave, and indeed ... there was a huge brown bear sleeping peacefully ... with each snore his mouth opened, leaving the sight of all sharp teeth. And as expected ... above this noble animal ... in a gap between two rocks ... lay the stone they were looking for. 

“Excellent ... couldn’t be more complicated …” Nick murmured, “Good. Try not to make annoying noises.”

"What do you mean annoying?" Kaori asked, crossing her arms. 

Nick snorted, “Well ... you try not to speak with your shrill voice,” he snapped at her. The girl flushed with fury, and instantly prepared to answer at a considerable decibel. 

The action was opportunely anticipated by Diego, who jumped to cover her mouth with his hands. “Sh …” 

Kaori tilted his eyes at him with contempt.   
Diego released her slowly, at the same time he asked, “Well ... and ... can’t you "fly" to the stone?”

“Well of course not.” Nick got impatient, “I told you I'm not a ghost.”

"Then ... what will we do?" Kaori asked, there was a short silence. 

Nick spoke again, “We'll make a human tower.” 

Diego was now the one who got impatient, “Hey …” he said sarcastically, “first you make us do pirouettes in the air and now you want us to make a human tower? Tell me ... have you worked in a circus or something?”

“Shut up,” Nick snapped.

“I've done this at school,” Kaori said thoughtfully.

“Well, then, we’ll do it like this” organized the young policeman, “Kaori, you will get on my shoulders and try to reach the stone, and you Diego, you will watch if the bear wakes up.”

"Done!" answered Kaori and Diego in unison.

Seconds later, Kaori was nimbly lifted to Nick's shoulders, his balance was very good, but it was getting harder for her to reach for the stone, her base didn’t hit in the right direction. “More to the left.” She indicated to the invisible column in which she was standing, “No, no ... more to the right ... more to the right …”

“Pick one,” Nick begged. It wasn’t very easy to maneuver in that position. At last the girl was able to take the precious stone.

"I got it," she whispered, trying not to let the enthusiasm betray the decibel she had achieved in her voice. But, as soon as she’d removed the piece, a piece of rock from the hole broke, and fell in the middle of a silent stage, on the nose of the bear, causing it to sneeze ... and, before the perplexed looks of those three silent spectators, the bear opened his eyes wide.

“AAAAAH! He woke up! HE IS AWAKENED!" Diego shouted instantly, making desperate jumps to the door of the cave.

"We can see that already!" Nick exclaimed, lowering Kaori in the span of a second. 

The bear opened his great mouth, letting out a bellow that made the place tremble, the three adventurers began the flight amid the cries of Diego and Kaori. Of course ... that beast wasn't going to let those intruders go unpunished ... after having interrupted his nap. So he stood up, and still bellowing, began to chase them at an amazing speed.

The description of the scene would be as follows: Kaori, Diego and Nick fleeing for their lives, and an immense bear with a murderous look on their heels.

“Where’s that damn fool!? WE ALREADY HAVE THE ROCK! "exclaimed the young policeman.

“He'll reach us! He’s going to overtake us! " the Mexican boy shouted without consolation. Suddenly, there were not three running, but four. Olaf appeared running with them but they didn't see him till he spoke, “Here I am, running with all of you ... is that, you were so focused on fleeing and not to die, you didn’t see me.”

“Stop the explanation! DO IT!" Nick yelled at the screams.

“In a jiffy!” the sorcerer smiled unconcerned. And a second later they found themselves running in the middle of a huge desert.


End file.
